Dirk Mathison had no background in sci-fi when he took on the responsibility of co-authoring a companion book for James Cameron’s Avatar, but James Cameron’s Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide worked out well just the same.

His co-author, Maria Wilhelm, actually brought Mathison to help create the book.  Wilhelm had a long association with the filmmaker and she got the ball rolling on the guide. The pair had total access to Cameron’s Avatar production.  The result? A sort of encyclopedia on the movie.

Mathison admits he questioned whether he was the right choice for the project, but he fast understood that his background as a hard news journalist made him the perfect choice.  He and Wilhelm were able to reign in the group of scientists contributing to the production into one single voice for the book.

Click onto the seven media bars for details on the production, Mathison’s doubts and how he overcame them as well as what the biggest surprises were for him while editing the project.

James Cameron’s Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide is on store shelves now.

Media Bar A: Mathison’s duties working with the scientists.

Media Bar B: How Mathison made the 400 pages sing.

Media Bar C: Mathison overcoming his doubts about editing the book.

Media Bar D: Mathison and his writers and scientists just visitors in James Cameron’s world.

Media Bar E: James Cameron’s work ethic.

Media Bar F: The book was created especially for the movie.

Media Bar G: Mathison’s biggest surprise while working on the companion piece to Avatar.